• Begin in Warrior II with your left leg forward.
• Flip the left palm and inhale, rotating your arms so that your left arm reaches up to the sky and your right hand rests on your right thigh.

• Sink low in your hips and reach high with your left arm as you look up toward your left palm.
• Breathe length through your left side body, imagining that you can breathe space into
the left side of your rib cage.

• Avoid collapsing in your right side body, using core strength instead.
• Relax your left shoulder away from your ear and breathe for three to seven breaths.
• To release from the pose, lower the arms back into Warrior II. Press down through the back foot while straightening the front leg.

• Lower the arms. Turn to the right, reversing the position of the feet and repeat on the
opposite side.

Benefits

• Strengthens and stretches the legs, groins, hips, and the sides of the torso and waist.
• Improves exibility in the spine, inner thighs, ankles, and chest.
• Increases blood ow throughout the body, reducing fatigue and helping to calm the mind.

Modifications

• If your hips are tight, shorten your stance and straighten your front leg to a degree that is comfortable as you work on gaining exibility.

• If you have a shoulder injury or lack the mobility, place your hands on your hips. Work on lifting your chest and lengthening your spine without over-straining your arms and shoulders.

The post REVERSE WARRIOR first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

• Stand tall in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), with your feet inner hip distance apart, hug your shins to the midline, push your inner thighs back and lift up through your rib cage .
• Breathe and make a connection to the earth, spread your toes and equally press down with the four corners of your feet.
• Focus on a point in front of you that is not moving.
• Pour your weight into your left leg and lift your right heel.
• Root your left leg steadily into the earth, inhale and bring the sole of your right foot to your left inner thigh.
• Bring your hands into Anjali Mudra (prayer position in front of your heart) Hug your right foot and your left thigh together.
• Push your thighbones back, especially your left one and keeping this, lengthen your tailbone down and extend from the core of your pelvis through your left leg into the earth. Breathe into your steadiness in this balance.
• Inhale your arms up to the sky When you want to come out, gently exhale your arms down and release your foot at the same time Repeat on the other side, standing on your right leg.

BENEFITS .

Cultivates poise and focus. Calms the mind. Tones the leg muscles. Improves balance and posture. Gently opens hips.

MODIFICATIONS .

For a simpler version you can place your foot either at your ankle with your toes on the earth or onto your shin. Never place your foot on your knee. Your arms and hands can be by your side, in Anjali Mudra in front of your heart, or together up over your head. You can also play with moving your arms from side to side, imagining that you are a tree in the wind.

The post TREE POSE first appeared on Yoga Magazine.

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